Lift truck load chain sheave construction



Nov. 6, 1962 G. F. QUAYLE LIFT TRUCK LOAD CHAIN SHEAVE CONSTRUCTIONOriginal Filed Jan. 28, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT\0R. Gears: QunyLEAme/v47 Nov. 6, 1962 e. F. QUAYLE 3,

LIFT TRUCK LOAD CHAIN SHEAVE CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Jan. 28, 1957 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Gears: I.- Quay:

Atop/yew Nov. 6, 1962 G. F. QUAYLE 3,062,325

LIFT TRUCK LOAD CHAIN SHEAVE CONSTRUCTION I l e I a I INVENTOR. l W i t'Gran pa-[Gunne- \m\ k l BY 3 l 7 Q \n A w.- fiffiram. s q I 1 3,652,325Patented Nov. 6, 1962 This application is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 636,733, now Patent Number 2,979,162, and relatesto industrial trucks of the class having a load chain that moves a loadcarriage vertically on uprights whereby to lift a load.

It is customary in trucks of this class to utilize a pair of channeluprights that are mounted in spaced relation on the front of the truck,with a hydraulic ram mounted in the space between the uprights andarranged to act through chains to lift the load carriage slidablymounted on the uprights. In those trucks that are required to lift aload to a considerable height, the carriage moves on secondary uprightsthat are in turn slidably mounted on primary uprights. In order to liftthe carriage and secondary uprights, it is necessary to equip the truckwith at least one lift ram together with hoses for hydraulic fluid, aswell as chains, sheaves, and guides, all of which are positioned infront of the truck driver and tend to obstruct his view when driving thetruck or when manipulating the carriage relatively to a load;

The invention that I describe in my copending application enables me tomount and to actuate a load lifting carriage through means that are verynarrow, and that do not obstruct the view of the operator to any greatextent. Moreover, I am able to achieve full lifting of the load carriageon the secondary uprights without increasing the overall height of thetruck. The invention that I claim in the present application makes itpossible to construct a load chain operating assembly that is verynarrow. Thus, I can arrange the lift rams, chains, hoses, and otheroperating parts within narrow uprights, so that those parts do notobstruct the operators view and are protected from damage during theoperation of the truck.

I utilize for lifting the load carriage a lift ram that has a relativelylarge diameter and that occupies practically the entire space betweenthe secondary uprights. My construction nevertheless leaves space at thefor.- ward and rearward sides of the ram in which I arrange load chainsfor the carriage. As a feature of my invention, the lift ram actuatesthe load chains through a pair of load sheaves, each of which is formedwith a flange on its outer side only. Since the inner sides of thesheaves do not have flanges, I can mount those sheaves relatively closeto the axis of the ram. Moreover, the sheaves can move closer to the endof the ram cylinder when the ram is retracted. As a further feature, Iequip the load chains with spacers that will hold the chains inpredetermined spaced relation so that the chains cannot slip from theinner edge of each sheave. I prefer also to mount the sheaves on the ramthrough a shaft that is in guide relation to the secondary uprights,whereby to hold the ram in aligned relation to those uprights.

As another feature of my invention, I utilize the chain spacers tosupport hydraulic hoses or power lines through I I which power isapplied to load manipulating devices on the load carriage. With thepower lines supported through the spacers, those lines will move withthe chains and can be arranged in an extremely small space between thesecondary uprights.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of myinvention in order that the detailed description thereof that followsmay be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features ofmy invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form thesubject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based mayreadily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures forcarrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of myinvention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention bythose skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section showing my novel up right construction.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing my invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are like FIGS. 1 and 2 but show the load carriage andsecondary uprights in elevated position.

FIG. 5 is across-section on the line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows diagramatically in semi-exploded relation, the arrangementof power lines and uprights of my invention.

'For the purpose of describing my invention, I have chosen to show inFIG. 1 a construction having as a part thereof a primary uprightassembly that I indicate generally by the numeral It). The particularmeans that support the primary assembly 19 are not important to anunderstanding of my invention, and it is merely necessary to know thatthe assembly is mounted at the front end of a truck T, preferably forpivotal movement, as is customary in the particular art.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the primary upright assembly has a pairof channel uprights :11 that are arranged with their channel portionsfacing in an outward direction. I join the channel uprights 11 to forman extremely novel box-like structure, utilizing for that purpose avertical plate 12 that is Welded to the rear surfaces of those uprights,together with a further vertical plate 13. For reasons that will appearas my description proceeds, I prefer to weld the plate 13 between theinner faces of the uprights 11 with that plate somewhat to'the rear ofthe front edges of uprights 11. I prefer also to utilize between theprimary uprights 11 upper and lower cross members 14 and 15. It is important to realize that the plates 12, 13, extend through a verysubstantial part of the length of channel uprights 11, FIG. 1, and actwith those uprights to form an integral unit that has a very high degreeof rigidity. Further, the plates 12, 13 are joined to the bottom crossmember 15, thus forming between uprights 11 a chamber 15a that I canutilize as a fluid reservoir for the hydraulic system of the truck.

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, my novel construction has also asecondary upright assembly 16 that includes a pair of secondary channeluprights 17. Those secondary uprights 17 are arranged in substantiallyaligned relation to the primary uprights 11 and, like those uprights,have their channel portions facing in an outward direction. I assemblethe secondary channel uprights 17 in integral relation to one anotherthrough a vertical plate 13 that extends practically the full length ofuprights 17, as will be appreciated from FIG. 1. The plate 13 isU-shaped, as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, and has opposed sides that areWelded to the inner faces of chan nel uprights 17. The arrangement issuch that plate 18 is rather closely juxtaposed to the plate 13 on theprimary uprights 11, and leaves open a considerable space betweensecondary uprights 17. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, I equip secondaryuprights 17 with a bottom cross member 17a, and also with a rearwardlyextending top bracket 26 to which I shall refer again.

I mount the secondary channel uprights 17 through brackets 19, bestshown in FIG. 5, that are welded to those uprights 17 in position toextend rearwardly at the sides of primary uprights 11, the brackets 19being equipped with rollers 20 that ride in the primary channels.Similarly, I mount a load carriage 21 on the secondary uprights 17through brackets 22 that extend rearwardly and that are equipped withrollers 23 riding in the channels of those uprights 17. In thatarrangement, the brackets 22 on load carriage 21 are in aligned relationto the brackets 19 on the secondary uprights.

The novel construction I have thus far described will be extremely rigidand will not deflect to any great extent due to a load on the loadcarriage 21. Further, that construction will be rigid when acceptingtorsional forces. Moreover, I can achieve this rigid construction whenactually arranging the primary channel uprights 11 in close relationshipto one another, with the secondary uprights 17 correspondingly close toone another. Therefore, I am able through my novel inventive concept tocontribute an upright assembly that is very narrow, and that enables thetruck driver to have a better view when driving the truck or whenmanipulating a load.

The box-like construction of the primary upright assembly 10 enables meto mount within that assembly a lift ram cylinder 24, FIGS. 1, 3 and 5,that cylinder actually being arranged in the fluid reservoir 15a. Apiston 25 moves in cylinder 24 and acts against the bracket 26 on theupper end of the secondary upright assembly 16, so that fluid pressurewhen applied to ram cylinder 24 will lift the secondary uprightsrelatively to the truck.

I now call attention to the fact that I utilize the space between thesecondary uprights 17 for a ram cylinder 27 and piston 28, FIGS. 1, 3and 5, that will lift the load carriage 21 relatively to those uprights.In order that this part of my invention may best be understood, I shallstate first that the piston 28 acts in a rather usual way through loadchains 29 that are secured at end points 29a, 29b to the cylinder 27 andcarriage 21, as well shown in FIG. 1. Those skilled in the art willunderstand that the particular arrangement enables me to achieve fulllifting of load carriage 21 on secondary uprights 17 without upwardmovement of those uprights. In fact, it is possible through my novelconstruction to lift the carriage and secondary uprights with asequential action like that described in the patent to Ulinski No.2,554,930. In my invention, however, I do this while utilizing extremelynovel means between the ram piston 28 and load chains 29, as I shall nowdescribe.

Thus, it will be seen when considering FIG. that I utilize on the upperend of ram piston 28 a transverse shaft 30 having load sheaves orrollers 31 that rotate on its opposed ends. Each roller 31 is formed onits outer edge with a flange 32, but is formed without a flange at itsinner edge. Because the inner edges of rollers 31 do not have flanges, Ican arrange these rollers to move close to the upper end of ram cylinder27, with parts of the outer flanges 32 positioned at the sides of thecylinder. It is then possible for the piston 28 to have a longereffective stroke. Further, I can place the rollers 31 very close to theaxis of ram cylinder 27, with the load chains 29 reeved over the rollersin correspondingly close relationship to the piston 28. The rollerflanges 32 naturally will prevent the load chains 29 from shiftingoutwardly on the rollers 31. To hold the chains 29 against shiftinginwardly, I utilize between those chains a series of clips 4 33, FIG. 5,that are attached to bracket portions 34 on the chain links.

The shaft 30, upon which the chain rollers 31 rotate, has end portionsthat are juxtaposed to the inner slides of secondary channel members 17as shown in FIG. 5. I equip those end portions of shaft 36 with bearingblocks 35 that are adapted to slide vertically in bearing ways 36 onchannel members 17. Through that arrangement, the upper end of rampiston 28 will be guided relatively to secondary channel uprights 17.Further, the guide relation that I thus establish between roller shaft30 and uprights 17 will hold the chain rollers 31 in properly alignedpositions transverse to the uprights.

It is exceedingly important to realize that the chains in theconstruction I have described do not require space at the sides of thelift ram cylinder 27. Thus, as will best be appreciated from FIG. 5, Iam able to mount the chain rollers 31 above ram cylinder 27, with lowerportions of the rollers 31 in opposed relation to the top of thecylinder. The load chains 29 will then be arranged vertically at theforward and rearward sides of ram cylinder 27, as well shown in FIG. 5,the plate 18 by its U shape leaving a space for these chains at the rearside of the cylinder. Further, since the inner edges of the rollers 31do not have flanges, it is possible to arrange those rollers to moveextremely close to the upper end of ram cylinder 27, so that the piston28 can then have a longer effective stroke. Because rollers 31 andchains 29 do not require space at the sides of the ram cylinder 27, I amable to mount the rollers, chains, and ram in a very narrow spacebetween the secondary uprights 17. Stated in other words, I am able toarrange between the secondary uprights 17 a ram cylinder 27 that islarge and that utilizes practically all of the space between theuprights. These things I do while achieving full independent lifting ofthe load carriage 21 relatively to the secondary uprights 17, as in theUlinski patent to which I have already referred.

I shall now refer to FIG. 6 of the drawings to describe the arrangementof the power lines that I utilize in my invention. To apply power to theram cylinder 24 on the primary upright assembly 10, I utilize simply ahydraulic line 40 that extends from a source of power on the truck tothe lower end of ram cylinder 24. Since that cylinder will have littleif any movement relatively to the truck, no particular problem isinvolved in arranging the line 40. To apply power to the ram cylinder 27on the secondary upright assembly, I construct the piston 25 with achannel 41, FIG. 5, and I utilize a hydraulic line 42 between the upperend of that channel 41 and the lower end of ram cylinder 27, FIG. 6. Itwill be appreciated that piston 25 moves with the secondary uprightassembly 16 and ram cylinder 27 on that assembly, and therefore thehydraulic line 42 may very well be a rigid tube.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, I can arrange power lines 43, 44,45, and 46 to extend between the truck T and the secondary uprightassembly 16 and load carriage 21. In the interest of clarity, I indicatethose power lines in FIGS. 1 and 3 by a dot and dash line 47. Naturally,the lines 43, 44, 45, and 46 can be hoses or electric cables, as may berequired. The lines 43, 44, 45, and 46 extend from the truck past theupper ends of the plates 12, 13, on primary upright assembly 10, andthen downwardly in front of plate 13. Those lines then extend forwardlyof the plate 18 on the secondary upright assembly and in an upwarddirection. In FIG. 6 I show the hydraulic line 43 connected to the upperend of ram cylinder 27 to act as a drain line for fiuid that may seeppast the piston 28 in that cylinder. The lines 44, 45 and 46 extendfurther into position between the load chains 29, as will be understoodwhen considering FIG. 5, and then along those chains to the loadcarriage 21. I support the power lines 44, 45, 46 on chains 29 throughthe chain spacer clips 33 that I have already described. Naturally, thepower lines 44, 45, 46 will then move with the chains as the loadcarriage 21 moves vertically, and will also move with secondary uprightas sembly 16 as it moves on the primary uprights.

It will be understood, therefore, that I am able to supply power foroperating the lift rams 24, 27 as Well as for an attachment that may bemounted on the load carriage 21, but with the hydraulic lines mountedactually within my upright construction and requiring extremely littlespace. Thus, while utilizing uprights that are extremely narrow, I amable nevertheless to arrange the power lines so that they Will beprotected against damage, and so that they will not extend outside theuprights to obstruct the vision of the truck driver.

I believe that those skilled in the art will now understand that I havecontributed an extremely novel load lifting construction that has veryconsiderable merit. Through my invention, it is possible to mount a loadcarriage through uprights that are very narrow, but that willnevertheless be exceedingly strong and rigid. Thus, I can achieve highlifting of the load carriage while utilizing uprights that do notobstruct the operators view to any great extent. In fact, I can do thiswhile achieving also full lifting of the load carriage independently ofthe secondary upright movement, as in the Ulinski patent. In addition, Iam able to equip my uprights with power lines that are actually arrangedwithin the uprights despite the fact that the uprights are very narrow.I believe, therefore, that the value of my invention will be fullyappreciated.

I now claim:

1. A load chain operating assembly for industrial trucks comprising aram cylinder, a ram piston movable in said cylinder, a pair of rollersmounted on said ram piston for rotation on an axis transverse to theaxis of said piston with those edges of the rollers facing the rampiston overlying the upper end of the cylinder, chains reeved over saidrollers, flanges on the rollers at those edges of the rollers facingaway from the piston, and a series of spacer clips secured to the chainsreeved over the rollers to hold each chain against movement away fromthe flange of its roller, whereby the edges of the rollers facing thepiston require no flange and the assembly may be made relatively narrow.

2. A load chain operating assembly for industrial trucks comprising aram cylinder, a ram piston movable in said cylinder, a pair of rollersmounted on said ram piston for rotation on an axis transverse to theaxis of said piston with those edges of the rollers facing the rampiston overlying the upper end of the cylinder, chains reeved over saidrollers, flanges on the rollers at those edges of the rollers facingaway from the piston, a series of spacer clips secured to the chainsreeved over the rollers to hold each chain against movement away fromthe flange of its roller, and power lines secured to said clips betweensaid chains, whereby the edges of the rollers facing the piston requireno flange and the power lines may be arranged with the assembly in anarrow space.

3. A load chain operating assembly for industrial trucks comprising aram cylinder, a ram piston movable in said cylinder, a pair of rollersmounted on said ram piston for rotation on an axis transverse to theaxis of said piston with the rollers relatively close to the piston axiswhereby to overlie the upper end of the cylinder, chains reeved oversaid rollers and adapted by their position on said rollers to extend ina space at the front and rear sides of the ram cylinder, flanges onthose edges of the rollers facing away from the piston, and a series ofspacer clips secured to the chains reeved over the rollers to hold eachchain against movement away from the flange of its roller whereby theedges of the rollers facing the piston require no flange and theassembly may be made relatively narrow.

4. In a truck of the class described, a pair of uprights mounted inspaced relation to one another, a load member mounted for verticalmovement on said uprights, a ram cylinder mounted on said uprights andarranged in the space between the uprights, a ram piston movable in saidcylinder, a pair of rollers mounted on said ram piston for rotation onan axis transverse to the axis of said piston with those edges of therollers facing the ram piston overlying the upper end of the cylinder,chains moving in a vertical plane and reeved over said rollers wheresaid rollers overlie the upper end of the cylinder, flanges on therollers at those edges of the rollers facing away from the piston, saidflanges lying just beyond the cylinder when the piston is fully loweredwhereby to permit the greatest possible lowering of said piston, andmeans holding said chains against movement away from the flanges of saidrollers, so that the assembly can be made relatively narrow whileenabling the chains to operate on said rollers.

5. In a truck of the class described, a pair of uprights mounted inspaced relation to one another, a load member mounted for verticalmovement on said uprights, a ram cylinder mounted on said uprights andarranged in the space between the uprights, a ram piston movable in saidcylinder, a pair of rollers mounted on said ram piston for rotation onan axis transverse to the axis of said piston with those edges of therollers facing the ram piston overlying the upper end of the cylinder,chains moving in a vertical plane and reeved over said rollers wheresaid rollers overlie the upper end of the cylinder, said flanges on therollers at those edges of the rollers facing away from the piston, saidflanges lying just beyond the cylinder when the piston is fully loweredwhereby to permit the greatest possible lowering of said piston, whileenabling the assembly to be made relatively narrow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,554,930 Ulinski May 29, 1951 2,915,144 Olson Dec. 1, 1959 2,915,210Ehmann Dec. 1, 1959 2,925,888 Kagel Feb. 23, 1960 2,936,044 VossenbergMay 10, 1960 2,955,696 Schroeder Oct. 11, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 212,282Australia Ian. 22, 1958 742,767 Great Britain Jan. 4, 1956 844,409 GreatBritain Aug. 10, 1960

